| CPC F02K 7/10 (2013.01) [B64D 39/00 (2013.01); B64G 1/002 (2013.01); B64G 1/005 (2013.01); F02C 7/22 (2013.01); F02K 1/09 (2013.01); F02K 7/16 (2013.01); F02K 7/18 (2013.01); F05D 2220/80 (2013.01); Y02T 50/60 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |

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1. An apparatus, comprising:
an airplane configured for horizontal takeoff and to accelerate to a speed of at least 1.5 Mach;
a high-speed launch ramjet boost (HSLRB) stage coupled to the airplane, the HSLRB stage configured to separate from the airplane; and
a rocket-powered stage coupled to the HSLRB stage; and
at least one controller configured to:
ignite the HSLRB stage after the airplane has reached the speed of at least 1.5 Mach and
launch the rocket-powered stage from the HSLRB stage at a predetermined speed of the HSLRB stage below 6.0 Mach.
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